The Magellan Adaptive Secondary VisAO Camera: Diffraction- Limited Broadband Visible Imaging and 20mas Fiber Array IFS

TL;DR

The Magellan Adaptive Secondary AO system's VisAO camera achieves diffraction-limited visible imaging and high-resolution integral field spectroscopy with unprecedented spatial resolution, enabled by advanced ADC technology and innovative optical design.

Contribution

This work introduces a novel VisAO camera capable of diffraction-limited imaging and spectroscopy in the visible, utilizing a custom fiber array and advanced ADC for improved performance.

Findings

Achieved ~20% Strehl ratio in visible imaging over 0.5-1.0 μm.

Provided R~1,800 spectra with 20 mas spatial resolution.

Demonstrated ADC performance 58% better than conventional designs.

Abstract

The Magellan Adaptive Secondary AO system, scheduled for first light in the fall of 2011, will be able to simultaneously perform diffraction limited AO science in both the mid-IR, using the BLINC/MIRAC4 10\{mu}m camera, and in the visible using our novel VisAO camera. The VisAO camera will be able to operate as either an imager, using a CCD47 with 8.5 mas pixels, or as an IFS, using a custom fiber array at the focal plane with 20 mas elements in its highest resolution mode. In imaging mode, the VisAO camera will have a full suite of filters, coronagraphic focal plane occulting spots, and SDI prism/filters. The imaging mode should provide ~20% mean Strehl diffraction-limited images over the band 0.5-1.0 \{mu}m. In IFS mode, the VisAO instrument will provide R~1,800 spectra over the band 0.6-1.05 \{mu}m. Our unprecedented 20 mas spatially resolved visible spectra would be the highest spatial resolution achieved to date, either from the ground or in space. We also present lab results from our recently fabricated advanced triplet Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector (ADC) and the design of our novel wide-field acquisition and active optics lens. The advanced ADC is designed to perform 58% better than conventional doublet ADCs and is one of the enabling technologies that will allow us to achieve broadband (0.5-1.0\{mu}m) diffraction limited imaging and wavefront sensing in the visible.